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Amsterdam is at its best in summer when it's comfortable to stroll by the canals and sip a coffee in the Vondelpark cafes. As a northern European city, Amsterdam can get very cold and windswept in winter, but, as compensation, the cultural scene warms up. Major holidays in Holland include the King's birthday on 27th April, celebrated with a festive street market in Amsterdam, and Bevrijdingsdag on 5th May, marking the liberation from Nazi occupation. From Amsterdam Centraal station there is a free ferry service over the river to the NDSM cultural complex.
The best value restaurants in Amsterdam are often ethnic places offering cuisine from Indonesia, Surinam and the Dutch Antilles. Before taking a cab ask the driver to give an idea of the cost, as journeys can be expensive. Amsterdam is a relatively safe city but it makes sense to be vigilant about possessions in crowds and on busy trams. Visitors should also be aware of cyclists traveling fast on cycle lanes.
Schiphol airport has a fast and regular train service to central Amsterdam with a journey time of only around 15 minutes. Single tickets cost around 4 EUR. The airport bus service connects Schiphol to Leidseplein in central Amsterdam in around 35 minutes. Getting around Amsterdam is inexpensive by public transport. A 24 hour ticket for trams and buses costs around 8 EUR and it is also possible to buy single tickets for tram journeys. Amsterdam has been on the backpacker trail since the 1960s and still offers a wide range of budget accommodation. Hostel beds start from around 20 EUR per night with cheap hotel rooms available from around 45 EUR.